12:20 – 12:40Topic:Can flipping the classroom fix the educational system? It’s a familiar scenario to anyone who’s been to high school:: teachers droning out a lecture in front of a class of bored, distracted or uncomprehending students, who are then sent home to try to apply the day’s lesson to homework on their own. And any teacher can tell you that the results aren’t always what they hope for. But what if the model were turned on its head? In the “Flipped Learning” method, teachers assign home viewing of videotaped lectures, then spend class time helping their students solidify what they’ve learned with projects, exercises and Socratic discussions. What’s the upside for learning? More one-on-one time with a teacher who can be present to answer questions, explain difficult concepts and overcome stumbling blocks. Teachers report improved grades along with greater student engagement and comprehension. The movement has been growing in popularity since its inception around nine years ago. One online association devoted to the concept, the Flipped Learning Network, boasts a membership of 11,000 teachers and administrators worldwide. If Flipped Learning is so successful, why haven’t more schools adopted it? What kind of work outlay is required by teachers to prepare adequate home learning materials? What if all students don’t have adequate internet access or the needed technology? If you’re a teacher, would you try this method in your classroom?

Guest: Aaron Sams, co-author of Flip Your Classroom: Reach Every Student in Every Class Every Day (with Jonathan Bergmann), former high school chemistry teacher and chair of the Flipped Learning NetworkBY PHONE

FOR THE WEB: http://flippedlearning1.wordpress.com

12:50 - 1:00Topic: Top cars by gender in Los Angeles: Automobile website Edmunds.com has released the top ten cars bought in Los Angeles for 2012 based on sex. Looking at the two lists, it appears that when it comes to cars and trucks, socio-normative gender roles are holding on strong. For instance, the list for females is comprised of smaller vehicles and no trucks. For men, on the other hand, trucks take up more than half the results. While this may not be surprising, some of the nuances of the data do have interesting implications. It seems there is a connection between domestic automobiles and men, as there are only three foreign vehicles that made it to the top ten. Also, the top result for women is the Volkswagen Beetle. This is unfortunate for VW, as the 2012 Beetle was geared towards attracting male consumers. Why doesn’t that car appeal to men? And why do men buy so many trucks, especially in L.A. where parking is notoriously awful? Why are women more likely to buy foreign cars? Do you have a “male” or “female” car? Do you think there is a connection between one’s sex and the choice of a vehicle?

11:20 -11:40Topic: Easing end-of-life anxiety with psychedelic drugs: Research studies have shown that the use of LSD and other psychotropic drugs greatly reduces the stress, fear, anxiety and pain associated with advanced cancer. One dose of psilocybin, administered by a doctor under controlled circumstances (which can include plush sofas, Persian carpets and sitar music), gives patients a euphoric sense of emotional well-being, peace and optimism that can last a year or more, greatly changing their outlook even in the face of terminal illness.

Guest: TBD

11:40-12:00Topic:Black boxes in cars: You may not know it, but there’s a plan to get a black box in your car. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is pushing for mandatory crash recorders for all cars. Some groups are bristling at this effort, namely the Electronic Frontier Foundation. They are worried that this will lead to tracking and recording of data that encroach on the privacy of drivers. For instance, what if you lend your car to a friend who proceeded to drive like a speed demon up and down the highway? If the data in the black box was accessed, then the information could make it back to your insurance company, resulting in a huge rate hike. And the black box would track more than just your speed, but if airbags are deployed, what seat belts are connected, the position of the brake and accelerator, and more. With no regulations in place for how much information can be stored, critics of the plan are sincerely worried that these devices could be used for more harm than good. Supporters of the plan, however, point to the fact that most cars already have some form of a crash recorder, and that the amount of data gathered is routinely used to make cars safer for consumers. When it comes to the privacy issue, they indicate that the NHTSA doesn’t have the jurisdiction to access such information anyway. Should cars have these black boxes in them? Will it really make driving any safer? Or could it be used against us? Are you even aware of whether or not there is one in your car?